Ommegang Rouge Grand Cru

Brewed by Bockor
Style: Sour Ale
Bellegem, Belgium

On tap at the M. Pours a dark reddish-orange. Aroma is nice mixed sour fruit. Taste is sour with a good balance of flavor-with the sour coming first then being balanced out.

Original review date 6/9/2009... On tap at Sunset into an...errr...snifter...Served up pretty cold. The bountiful, translucent/almost opaque chocolate/cherrywood body comes forth with an excellent inch of bright rye-colored head that sticks around forever. Impressive. Lots of oak, pine and horse funk. Slight cherry/citrus huskiness. Maybe a dab of noble hops, but nothing discernible. ’Course, that’s not the point. Excellent. This is where it gets interesting - it’s actually quite light and a little more fruity with sour cherries than expected - funk and yeast are all very electric in the background but not overbearing. Probably the lightest FR I’ve come across...not that I’m by any means an expert in the style. Very spritely for weight class - carbonation adds pep and accesibility by moderating the light funk. Sour is mild enough so as not to create a pucker. It’s definitely brisk but I would prefer a deeper huskiness on the finish and more pronounced wild cultures. It’s very drinkable up against other FRs but admittedly almost too drinkable. Definitely accessible if a little out its ’hood.

Draught at The Red. Awesome surprise. One of the tastier sour ales that I’ve had. Deep ruby brown with a small off-white head. The aroma is tart berries and some vanilla frosting with light grain. The flavor is pretty acidic and dry, with cranberry, cherry, and pomegranate tartness in the forefront. Some wood comes in at times but is pretty subtle. Ample carbonation and a lean body. Seemed a little more acidic that other Flanders Reds that I’ve had, like you could tell that an American brewery had a hand in it. Awesome.

Growler from Party Town. Pours a clear dark reddish caramel color with a smaller off white head. The aroma was a sweet sour blend that emphasized cherries although other fruits (raspberries) were present. The flavor was more sweet/sour cherries, oak, and raspberries. The drinkability of this is amazing. I wish this was something they would bottle.

on tap at coles. pours deep maroon with a tan head. huge sour cherry aroma. the aroma is mouthwatering. the flavour is big sour and complex. the age shows but its just about perfect right now. mellow and easy to sip but still huge in the mouth. very close to being perfect. i cant really do justice to this one in this rating so ill just stop now. go find some!!

On tap at Tyler’s Taproom, Durham. Brownish-red pour. Excellent sour aroma. Tastes of sour and oak. Incredibly well-balanced. Quite a surprise that this one was as good as it is. Absolutely loved it.

Pours a brownish red, almost like browner, darker cranberry juice shade of red with an airy white head. Aroma of cranberry and strawberry. It’s a subtle, light aroma overall, but more malt aroma as it warms. The flavor, however, is very rich. Strawberry, cranberry, cherry and lime flavors blend beautifully. There may be a hint of hops with a slight dryness to it; is this that "funk" people speak of? Smooth, delicious tart flavors overall with a refreshing spritzer finish. A delightful tartness sticks to the tongue. This is one of those beers you relive drinking after you’ve finished. It’s fantastic!

A very good sour ale, on tap at Cole’s. Very flavourful flemish cherry well malted down. Good drinkability therefore. Reddish with white head and lacing.